Hurt
by hathanhate
Summary: He was a Bakemono. A monster. Should he not live among other monsters then? Naruto lives in the underground district of Konoha. He will learn many things about this new world he finds himself in, and one day, he may become something great. One day he may show Konoha the truth. That perhaps, they are the monsters here... ON HOLD
1. Chapter 1

Ok. So a long time ago I read a fic where Naruto is very young and finds a like, ghetto type area of Konoha that is sort of its own thing, with its own leader and such. I don't think there was anything beyond like one, maybe two, chapters, and it not much happened. The last update date on it was like years ago so I'm pretty sure it's safe to say it's been abandoned. I can't for the life of me seem to find it again no matter how hard I search.

But it left an impression on me.

Weird as I am, I can read countless many-chaptered fics and still remember the basics of this one little thing. It's been eating at me for a little bit here now for some reason so I'm taking a shot in the dark here and guessing that that's my muse's way of telling me to write something.

That fic, whoever wrote it, and wherever it may be, inspired me to write this.

Hope ya'll like it.

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

The Kumori district was like the dirty little secret of Konoha.

It wasn't so much that no one knew it existed, as it was than no one spoke of it. Many of the larger hidden villages had such places. Even Suna. But none were quite the same as the Kumori district of Konoha.

The 'dark districts' as they were called, were usually still part of their home villages. Their people were still citizens of whatever place the district was located, and they were still held to village law. When it came down to it though, these districts existed for a single purpose.

To handle the nastier side of Shinobi dealings.

There were some things villages would get clients for that they didn't like to think about. The kind of missions that meant leaving children torn and bloody alongside their innocent mothers and their fathers who had made the wrong mistakes. The kind of missions that meant taking orders from men of, questionable, morals.

The kind of missions the 'better' ninja, and civilians would rather not know about.

But the Kumori district was different.

It served its purpose for the great Konohagakure true enough. But unlike its brethren districts, it was not part of Konoha. It was held separate from her. Most of it was beneath her. Huge caverns and tunnels that crisscrossed everywhere beneath the great Leaf Village. Buildings that were made of the earth itself. Its people were quite amused at the thought of all those people treading ignorantly, naively, above their heads.

There were several tunnels that came up and made themselves known. Places to enter the underground district. People knew where they were, they knew what was beneath them; but they felt it was better, safer, not to think about it.

Kumori had her own Kage. It was a title-less one, called simply 'Kage' and nothing more, but a Kage nonetheless. She had her own ninja. Her own citizens. Her own rules. Rules far more lax than those of her sister above ground, and still far stricter in others. She had separated from her sister long ago, and while she continued to serve her sibling's purpose, they would never be one again.

Sometimes those above would come down to make dealings with those below. Sometimes those below would come to handle business up above. The would mingle, but never combine, never lose sight of the fact that while they could co-exist, there was a fine line between them that could never be crossed.

At least… Until a little blond boy came down the East tunnel.

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

The East tunnel was located just a ways outside of Konoha's main gate. It was not the only gate that opened in the East side, but it was called The East Gate, because it was the most trafficked. Since it opened outside of the walls it was used by Kumori ninja to leave for missions and by clients to enter directly into Kumori if they didn't want to go into Konoha. Basically the seedier customers.

It was not guarded. It didn't need to be. District Shinobi were known for being particularly vicious, and they didn't keep anything worth stealing like the forbidden jutsu scrolls Konohagakure possessed. They had no need to guard their entrances against invaders. Even those trying to take over Konoha had no reason to enter. Taking over Kumori would not help them very much in taking over her brighter, purer, sister. Not enough to make much of a difference anyways.

Today, a cold night in October, it was empty. Even if it was not guarded, there were often still people nearby. But tonight was one of those nights during which it was empty of life. At least it was, until a small, bloodied form appeared at the entrance.

He had been running. It was something he was very good at now. After years of running away from the mobs and the people who would seek to see him hurt badly or killed, running was the one thing the child was better at than most. He was only seven. He had been so excited to start at the Ninja Academy. Only for the common attacks to become more brutal and less merciful.

The villagers didn't like a demon attending school with their children.

It was only a few days after his birthday now. He knew those days would probably be particularly bad, but 'Old Man Hokage' spared him from it. He always spent those days with the man who was something like a grandfather to him. He would feed him good ramen and give him some kind of small present. He would even let him wear his hat those days. Often his presents were destroyed by the villagers not long after. But he relished in the time he had them and deemed them precious; his little heart breaking when his presents were ruined and burned.

He had managed to protect this year's gift though.

It was a small, red plush fox. He had told he old man once that he liked the animals. He had seemed very surprised and his smile then had seemed kinda sad, like the boy's smiles sometimes were. The villagers had appeared particularly outraged at the sight of though, and the Shinobi who usually brought him his food money for the week had kept it instead.

It was a cruel act, but the boy almost felt like thanking him.

Because he had no food, he had been forced to dig through the dumpsters on this night. So he had not been in his ragged little apartment building, of which he was the sole occupant, when his usual attackers burned it down. He had run then, before they spotted him.

It was a couple of drunkards that had caught him in the end.

They had beaten him badly. He had curled his tiny, malnourished frame around the little stuffed fox to protect it, and when the alcohol had finally made one of the men faint, he had bit the other one's foot savagely and ran.

The larger crowd caught sight of him not long after. But he kept on running. He ran until he caught sight of the village gates. Old man had told him never to go beyond the gates, but they were his only chance at escape. And so he ran through them. He was right about being able to escape. No one followed him beyond the village walls, though they stood there and yelled and jeered at him.

He wandered through the trees, eventually discovering a tunnel. There was a little sign near it, but he could not read the Kanji. It was a long, dark winding tunnel, steps leading from the top, down into darkness. He could just catch the flickering fire of a lantern a ways down; casting minimal light upon the steps so as one could see where they stepped and not trip.

He swallowed nervously and sniffed the entrance. He had long since learned he could smell very good. His ears were sharp too. He had discovered this when he had commented to the old man about things he could hear in the big red building and the old man had not been able to hear anything until whatever it was was much closer.

He could smell people in the tunnel, not there now, but the lingering smell of them. Perfume, grease, metal like weapons, liquor, wood, and food. Many people traveled through here. He looked to the sign again. He could not read it, but he recognized the characters. He had seen a couple of places with that sign before. Once another tunnel, the other times old, broken, run-down buildings. Old man had told him those were bad places with monsters in them, and not to go anywhere he saw that sign.

Monsters.

Monsters dwelled here.

He was a monster too though, wasn't he?

Isn't that what they always called him, Bakemono?

He was a Bakemono. A monster. Like those who dwelled here. A demon in human form.

He pulled his little plush fox closer and began to descend the steps.

Perhaps, since he was a monster too, he would be welcome here.

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

The tunnel was very long. Made longer still by the steepness of the steps when compared to his tiny form. He could barely step down them without tripping and so was forced to move along on from step to step on his bottom; leaving an ugly trail of blood in his wake.

He hoped the other monsters wouldn't mind the mess.

The air here was stale, and the air was tainted with swirls of dust and dirt. The tunnel of stairs kept twisting and turning everywhere. He would think maybe he was getting close only to move around a bend in the long path and there would be so many more stairs.

His arms shook. He had been moving for awhile. He knew it was slow going, but he was tired as it was from running. And his shoulder had been injured. He wasn't too worried about it. His wounds always healed up very quickly. It had confused him at first why other children would get hurt and still have marks days later. He supposed it was just another part of being a monster. Still, the healing left him feeling weakened and sometimes stiff when the injury was really bad. And he could only move with one arm at a time to help lower himself because he needed to keep hold of his fox.

He paused on what could have been the fiftieth step or the hundredth and leaned his head against the wall. He breathed harshly for a few minutes with his eyes closed. It was so tempting to just stay there and sleep but he needed to keep doing. He wanted to find the other monsters.

He daydreamed as he went, about what it would be like if the monsters took him in. He could have a monster mommy and a monster daddy; and even though they were demons they would be happy together. He hoped they didn't eat him instead for being such a small and weak little Bakemono instead of big and strong.

He was almost ready to give up when the steps moved around a turn again. He made it passed the bend and glanced down. He looked back to his movements only to jerk his gaze back to it and gasp. There were nine more steps.

Kyuu. Nine. Just nine.

He jumped to his feet in the hopes to make it down quicker, only to stumble across the steep steps, just barely managing to keep himself up until he reached the bottom and fell face-first into the dirt. He coughed and wobbled as he brought himself to a sitting position, checking his little fox for any damage before he bothered to look up.

It was a cavern. Not a very large cavern, but a cavern all the same; with high ceilings covered in… Stalagmites? Stalactites? Those pointy things.

And on the wall opposite him was a door.

It was huge, maybe just a little under half as tall and half as wide as the main gate. It was still very large though. It was painted a dark reddish brown color that was different shades in different spots. It was framed by large black stones and there was a smaller door cut into the bigger door. He frowned at that, but then decided that maybe the big door was for bigger monsters while the little one was for normal-sized ones. It was slightly darker than the rest of the door and held to it my strong dark iron hinges.

He sniffed the door and then jerked back, eyes wide. It smelt like blood. It wasn't paint. He gulped but gathered his courage. Many of the villagers called him a murderer. He had never killed anyone, but maybe it was normal for a Bakemono to kill. And he was one of them wasn't he? So maybe they wouldn't kill him.

He struggled forwards and squeezed his fox before squaring his tiny shoulders and advancing to open the smaller door.

It was now or never.

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

Sugoi…

It was incredible. This place…

The earthy ceiling was high enough above him that it almost didn't feel as though he was underground. All around him were building made of dirt, clay, and stone. The windows had no glass, but were instead covered by bright fabrics. The doors were large and made of wood.

There were people.

Everywhere…

There were all kinds. Many men and women. Teenagers. A handful of children. They were all so… different. In Konoha, many of the people were the same. Those who looked different than the majority usually belonged to clans; and clansmen always looked similar to each other too.

But these people…

There was hair of every shade. Black. Brown. Red. Blond. Even some colors that were rather strange. Green. Blue. Purple. Even white! The skin colors varied too. Many of those he saw in Konoha were light skinned or slightly tanned. But the skin of those in this place ranged from so pale it was almost white to so dark a shade of brown it was nearly black. Some were tall. Some short. Some were dressed in plain clothing. Some in bright colors and patterns. Some in barely any clothing at all!

He wandered through them. It was a marketplace he found himself in. Or something similar. There were shops mixed with little stalls. All kinds of things being sold. It was strange. If he wandered into the market in Konoha he was glared at by everyone.

But here…

It was like he was invisible. A couple people gave him a cursory glance. But most ignored him entirely. They paid him no attention whatsoever.

He grinned.

It was incredible to him. To be ignored so completely. It was like a dream come true. He may have wanted good attention like any child. But being ignored was still so much more favorable to being treated badly and beaten.

He wandered happily through the strange marketplace and looked at everything. He passed a stall selling cooked squid. The one next to it sold kunai and shuriken. It was so strange here. In Konoha, the stores that sold ninja weaponry had their own section, unless it was a clan owned shop; in which case it was usually close to the clan compound.

The ninja themselves all seemed to live within the compounds. If they weren't part of a clan they typically lived in apartment buildings. His own building was near one of those areas. All in all, the Shinobi kept themselves mostly separated from the civilians.

But here it was so strange. It seemed as though the ninja were mixed in with the civilians and he could barely tell the difference between the two. He was glad though. If these people were monsters then it meant that monsters really could become ninja still. He could be a ninja even though he was a Bakemono.

He wandered through the crowd and eventually the people thinned out. He found himself in a different area. There were still shops here, but many of them seemed to be filled with women. He blushed at the sight of them. They wore clothes that were very revealing and he knew women were not supposed to do that. Their kimonos were brightly colored with pretty designs on them and it seemed like the prettier the woman, the more beautiful their kimono was. He didn't see any other children here and he swallowed.

He shouldn't be in this place. He was sure of that.

"Sweetie?" He looked up with wide blue eyes. The woman was gorgeous. Pale skin surrounded by long, wavy chocolate colored locks. Thick lashed framed dark emerald eyes. She had a round face, and large lips colored a pinkish color. Her kimono was a deep red with pretty purple flowers all over it and was held very low, revealing a decent bust with slits in the sides up to hips; allowing her legs to be seen. Tiny, this, wooden sandals adorned small feet with toenails painted a dark purple.

Women in Konoha did not dress like that.

He ducked his red face into his fox. She chuckled warmly at him and he glanced back up at her. Her eyes… They were so warm. There was happiness in them, and concern. She smiled gently at him. "Are you lost honey?" He shrugged. "Where's your mommy and daddy baby?"

He mumbled into his fox. "What was that sweetie?"

He looked up at her and swallowed. "I don't have any…" He spoke very quietly. "The villagers said they didn't want me because I'm a demon…"

"Villagers?" She looked confused, then she eyed him and those pretty green eyes locked onto the thin, whisker markings on his face and widened in recognition. He hid his face again. Here it comes… Everyone always hates him when they notice his whiskers…

He flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder and look up frightened. She didn't look angry though. Rather, there was a small, sad smile on her face. He didn't understand that expression in her eyes. But he recognized it. The old man looked at him like that sometimes. "Oh, honey…" She sighed and ran a hand with painted purple nails through his hair. "You're from Konoha right?" He nodded. "How'd you end up down here?" It was asked softly, as though she wasn't really asking him, but he felt the need to answer all the same.

"Old man said there were monsters down here… I thought… Since I'm a monster too…"

Something angry flashed in those eyes before she sighed. "Where do you live honey?"

He sniffed. "In… In a apartment… But…" He bit his lip. "It's all burned up now…"

There was that strange almost-but-not-quite-sad look again. "Oh sweetie…" He yelped in surprise as she suddenly picked him up. He blushed as his face was pushed too close to her chest but then… Ladies were not supposed to dress this way… But… It felt so warm. He pulled his fox close and laid his head on her breasts. It felt warm, and safe, and he could hear the pretty woman's heart beat.

It was nice…

Starved for physical attention as he was, the child closed his eyes and clung to the scantily clad woman. Said woman watched him sadly as she began to walk away, understanding in her eyes. She knew this was probably the first time the blond boy, who was smaller than was healthy for his age, had ever been held. She signaled with her hand to one of the other women from her brothel that she was leaving, and carried the little boy and his fox away…

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

Hana Taki was no fool.

She was a 'working woman' in Kumori of all places, and as such she knew a thing or two about the evil of the world. She had seen people be killed, tortured, even raped, before her very eyes. She had seen it all the day her tiny village in tea country was destroyed. It was why she had come to Konoha in the first place, hoping to find refuge.

But it was a time of war, and the great Leaf Village closed its gates on her.

So she had gone to Kumori. It had been an accident that she ended up there, but when she asked them for sanctuary, if had been given to her. She had gone through training, and had done some time as a Kumori nin. But that time had passed, and though she could have chosen any other job; she chose to work in a brothel. Some of the girls there owed debts, and were working to pay them off. They would leave and find jobs elsewhere one day. But she had chosen her career.

She enjoyed sex. It was her nature. But despite that, and her job, she was not some common whore. She had maybe six or seven regulars and they were all Kumori nin she had once worked with. She didn't sleep with anyone else.

She had a soft spot for children; always had. It was an injury which took the ability to have any of her own from her that led to her leaving the ninja life in the first place. But she had always retained a fondness for the young ones. So it was really no surprise that she would immediately notice the little boy with bright, messy blond hair wandering through the Red Light Sector.

He was so small. Dressed in little orange shorts and a long white t-shirt that nearly hid the bottoms from sight. There were bruises on him; bruises and blood dirt. He was filthy really. And he clutched a tiny stuffed fox so close it was as though his life depended upon it. The mother in her had risen to the surface at the sight of him. He was just down-right pitiful after all.

And then she had seen the whiskers.

She was no fool. She knew very well what those marking symbolized. He was the Jinchuuriki. The holder of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. It made her blood boil to realize how he was treated. Especially since she knew WHO he was. She had fought side by side with Kushina. She had seen the woman's infatuation with the Yondaime. And anyone with eyes could see that golden blonde was not a common hair color in Konoha.

Did people really think it was coincidence that his hair was the EXACT same shade as the Forth Hokage's? Or that his eyes had the EXACT same shape as Kushina's? A woman who many knew the Yondaime to be interested in and who just happened to disappear from the face of the Earth seven months before the fox's attack.

Or were they just so blinded by hatred of the bloody fox not to open their damn eyes?

Hana was no fool.

But oh was she pissed.

**Iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

Somewhere along the way the exhaustion that had been plaguing the little set in and he fell asleep. It was expected, and he had been fighting it since the stairs. Even in his sleep though, he clutched his toy fox like a lifeline. He slept soundly, feeling very warm and safe. This was an almost unheard of occurrence for him, as even in his sleep it seemed as though he was just waiting to be beaten. Motherly green eyes looked at him sadly as he slept; pitying him for the life he lived.

This child called himself a monster as though it was fact. He had come to a place he was told had monsters in the home of finding a home among them. She hated those who had made him this way with a passion. It wasn't right. For such a beautiful child to consider himself as such was not right.

And she'd be damned if she was going to let him continue to suffer.

She couldn't take the boy in. Not completely. Whether she had chosen it or not, she lived and worked in brothel, and that was no place for a child. But he needed a home. He could not remain in Konoha. She would not allow it. And even if the little one couldn't live with her, she would be there for him. She would cast herself in the role of a mother, even if she felt she had no right to the title, because that was what he needed. He needed a mother.

But he also needed a home.

And perhaps someone to look to as a father.

The boy would be a ninja one day. She knew this. It was an unavoidable fact considering the being he held within him. He would never be allowed any other career. He was at the right age to have perhaps even begun at the academy. He would need a ninja in his life because of this. But he could not live with a Kumori nin. They worked on cycles. There was a cycle where they stayed within the district and worked here. And a cycle in which they were on active duty. A ninja would not be around to raise him. But they could help him with his training when they were about.

She knew some people.

Kumori did not have an orphanage. There was a group of children, from small ones to those already beginning the Shinobi way of life who lived in one of the more run-down sectors of Kumori. If all else failed they would take him in. And he may end up there regardless.

But not if she could help it.

Right now he was damaged and in need of support. The torment and abuse he had received could have long term mental consequences, and he needed to be taken care of. The child-gangs were just as damaged as he was, and he needed a home if he was to heal.

If she was to ensure he would remain in Kumori.

But she couldn't think of anyone to put him with. At least not anyone who would be around and also willing to take him in. Which was why she was on her way to see the Kage. The man would want to know about the Jinchuuriki in his District, and about the treatment he had received above ground. He would also be willing to fight to keep the boy here, where he might have a chance at family and friends; rather than let him continue to be subjected to the hell that was Konohagakure.

She wandered through crowded and deserted streets alike, going down different tunnels and stairways, winding through many turns and paths until she stood before a small building. It was an unassuming place, a bit dilapidated in its appearance, and set between an old restaurant that made good teriyaki and a clothing store whose customers were mainly women in her own line of work. The building's doorway was covered by a ragged red tarp and a sign for a blacksmiths sat above it.

She wandered in and moved passed the workers without giving them a second glance. She felt eyes on her but paid them no heed; knowing they wouldn't get in her way. She entered the back room and went down the stairs into a dark basement, moving a hidden panel of wood that revealed itself to be a doorway.

It was a small tunnel, with only enough room for a group to walk single file. She followed its twisting path that eventually turned into more stairs before it once again leveled out. It opened into a small cavern.

Before her stood a rather well-kept green door; framed on either side by Shinobi in black, with plain black masks covering their face in a dark mimicry of the white masks of the hunters. But these masks had no signs upon them. They stood still as statues, not moving even as she came forward to knock upon the heavy oak.

Though they never turned their head she felt their gaze, and the tenseness of their bodies. She would never attack the man beyond the doorway but knew that if she ever did they would remove her head from her shoulders. They were Kuroi Yabun. The elite of Kumori. Even better than Anbu. Few in number, there were perhaps only ever four or five squads at a time. But they were deadly in a way no other nin could be.

"Enter." The voice was deep and rough, scratchy. She obeyed.

The door creaked slightly as she opened it and walked in without hesitation. The room was rather plain. A simple office with walls lined in wood paneling. A dark desk stood before her with small pile of paperwork here and there and a couple of scrolls. Another door was on the wall behind it, a single Kuroi Yabun a silent sentinel before it. There was a high backed wooden chair that matched the desk sitting behind it, though no chairs sat in front.

In this chair sat a man. He was thickly built. She knew when he stood that he was tall, and his limbs were thick with corded muscle. He wore a simple grey tunic that was loose but didn't cover his arms, and instead revealed the strength of his limbs. Hidden by the desk were similarly plain black pants and a red sash that held up a single, rather average looking katana.

Dark grey eyes looked at her out of a timeless face topped with somewhat spiky dark brown hair. There were wrinkles around the eyes and just a few graying hairs interspersed throughout the hair and the short goatee that hung beneath lips set in a tight line. It was impossible to determine his age. He could have been anywhere from thirty to fifty.

She offered the man a shallow, respectful bow, shifting the child so as not to disturb him.

"Kage."

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

Ok. So that's chapter one. Should I continue? Or just trash it? It's up to you my lovies.


	2. Chapter 2

Well, I seemed to get a decent reception last chapter so I'm continuing for now. Assuming you guys continue to like this then I'll continue to type. Decent deal right?

Okay. So this chapter starts after they graduate. Naruto didn't fail the test so there was no incident with the scroll, but Naruto does know the Shadow clone jutsu and about the Kyuubi. Mizuki was captured and killed by Anbu.

There will be flashbacks as we go, so you're not really missing anything. I promise to cover any questions.

I've decided to go about the flashbacks in a similar way to how I've been doing it in one of my other fics because I have difficult integrating flashbacks into the middle of a story. Basically, at the beginning of every chapter there will be a flashback. Sometimes it'll be something big, sometimes it will be insignificant, sometimes long, sometimes short, and they won't always have something to do with what's happening in the story at that time. But there will be flashbacks all the same. They will be in bold and italics.

The only chapter that shouldn't have a flash-back is this one.

Plain italics throughout the fic will be thoughts, while plain bold will cover Kyuubi and jutsu names. I will probably use the English names for the jutsu, at least for the most part, and if you don't like that I'm sorry.

Here we go!

This chapter is for Mwahahahahah, who liked my story so much they left two reviews.

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

"Alright. Why don't you introduce yourselves, one at a time." Kakashi was a tall ninja dressed in Konoha's traditional Jounin garb, but with the addition of dark blue mask that covered his face and neck from the nose down. Additionally, his headband was positioned so as to cover his left eye, thus the only part of his face that could be seen was the other eye. A dark grey in color, and looking at the children before him in a bored sort of way. His hair was silver and gravity defying in the way it spiked up and to the side; though how it moved easily in the breeze suggested a lack of any product in order to make it so.

"Introduce ourselves?" Sakura looked at him confusedly. She was a decent looking girl, not attractive enough to be called beautiful, but not simply average either; pretty maybe. She had plain, almost pale, green eyes and long hair of an unusual color; pink. It came easily to her waist. She wore a red shirt long enough to almost be called a dress, and dark blue shorts. Her newly acquired headband was positioned as a headband to keep her hair in place. "Well… What're we supposed to say?"

Kakashi uncrossed his arms and spoke in a lazy sort of manner, sounding exacerbated with the pink haired girl. "Things you like, things you hate, dreams for the future, hobbies; things like that."

"Why don't you start then Sensei?" Naruto was small for his age, with bright golden blond hair that was wild and untamed; spiking about every which-way. He had bright blue eyes that shown with mischief and three, odd, whisker-like marks upon either cheek. He wore black pants, the bottoms pinned to his legs by bandages that ended going into the usual ninja sandals; though these were also black rather than navy in color. A tight black tank-top covered his upper body and was separated from the pants by an orange sash. His arms, from the hands to the upper arms, were wrapped in bandages like the ones on his legs. He was smiling in a carefree sort of way at their new teacher, his headband loosely held around his neck.

"Me?" The man looked almost amused. "I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate… hmm I don't feel like telling you that. My dreams for the future… Never really thought about it. As for my hobbies, I have lots of hobbies."

"That was totally useless; all he really told us was his name." Sakura grumbled, Naruto nodding in agreement but still smiling.

"Okay. You're turn. You on the left, you first."

"I'm Sakura Haruno. What I like, uh, I mean the person I like is…" She paused, sending a shy glance to the boy next to her that had yet to speak. He had dark, bluish-black hair that came down in the front to frame his face and spiked up sharply in the back. His eyes were black, and almost cold looking. He wore white shorts, with bandages on his legs that came down into the usual navy ninja sandals. A blue shirt hung somewhat loose above it and there were white, sleeve-like things covering his arms from a bit beneath the elbows to just over the wrists. His headband was worn traditionally; right across his forehead to display the leaf symbol proudly. "My hobby is uh…" Another look at the boy. He giggled. "My dream for the future is…" She glanced again before squealing into her hands.

"And…? What do you hate?" Kakashi's voice seemed slightly irritated.

"Naruto!" She yelled without hesitation. Said blond's smile faltered slightly before he shrugged and sat back.

Kakashi sighed. _Girls her age are more interested in boys than in ninja training._ "Next, you in the middle."

"My name… Is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything." Sakura seemed a bit put-out at this. "What I have, is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and destroy a certain someone."

It was awkwardly quiet after the boy's rather morbid proclamation. _Just as I thought_… Kakashi sighed again. "Alright blondie, you next."

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I like foxes and ramen. I hate people who judge me. My hobbies are training and playing music in my neighborhood. My dream is to become a great ninja and earn people's respect." He grinned wider, his eyes closed as he did so; making him look rather like a fox himself.

_Well… He's grown up in an interesting way…_ Kakashi nodded at him. "Good. You're each unique and you have your own ideas. We'll have our first mission tomorrow."

"What kind of mission are we gonna have sensei?" Naruto was looking at him rather excitedly.

"It's a task that the four of us will do together. A survival exercise."

They didn't look very happy at this.

"Huh? I thought we were supposed to have a real mission, not more practice. We already did this stuff at the academy, that's how we got here." Sakura seemed rather irritated; her voice a bit pompous.

"This is not like your previous training."

"What kind of training is it then Sensei?" Kakashi couldn't help but think that Naruto kept saying Sensei in an almost mocking sort of tone. All the same, he chuckled evilly.

"If I tell you the answer, you're not going to like it…" He chuckled again and his student gave him somewhat confused looks; though in Naruto's case it seemed too… exaggerated. He frowned internally at that. Did the child know already? He spoke in a more serious voice. "Of the twenty seven graduates who just came here only nine will actually be accepted as Genin. The other eighteen will be weeded out and sent back to the academy. In other words, this is a make-it-or-break-it, pass-fail test. And the chance that you'll fail is at least sixty six percent."

They looked both shocked and angry at this information, but once again Kakashi felt as though Naruto's expression was a bit too comical to be genuine. "You see? I told you you wouldn't like it."

"What?" Sakura screeched in outrage. "But we worked hard to get here! What was that graduation test for anyways?"

"Oh that. That was just to select candidates who might become Genin. Or not."

"What!"

"That's how it is. I decide whether you pass or fail. Be at training ground seven at five a.m. and bring your ninja gear." He was pleased to note the determined looks upon their faces. "That's it. You're dismissed. Oh." He paused. "Tomorrow you better skip breakfast or else… You'll puke."

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

Early the next morning the three stumbled sleepily into the training grounds. It was still somewhat dark outside; the leaves of the trees tinged a purplish shade from the meager light and the sky beautiful in its coloring.

Sasuke looked the least tired, but there as a slight dark coloring beneath his eyes that belied how alert he appeared. Sakura was practically sleepwalking with the way her eyes struggled to stay open and her steps faltered here and there. Naruto looked like he was somewhere between the two, his eyes open and mostly alert but his posture lazy; an occasional yawn bubbling up.

They each came equipped with their weaponry and supplies. Kunai and shuriken holsters were strapped to hips and thighs, and a long tanto knife (perhaps a two foot blade) was strapped into the sash around Naruto's waist. Sasuke and Sakura, who had never seen the weapon before now, eyed it curiously, wondering if Naruto actually knew how to use it, but said nothing. There was also a plain leather band with a single horizontal line stamped into it, but they didn't give the pointless piece of jewelry a second glance.

They each arrived at the same time and met in the center of the training grounds. But though they had arrived at the right time, their sensei was nowhere in sight. They waited in silence as the sun came up, painting the sky a soft blue with tinges of yellow in the clouds. The leaves lost the purplish tinge the dampened light had cause and slowly became a bright, healthy green.

Sakura became more alert as the time passed, though Naruto sat on the ground and slumped forwards in silence. Sasuke snorted at the sound of the soft snores coming from the blond; who had apparently managed to fall asleep sitting up. _What an idiot…_

More time passed until the golden sun was bright in the middle of the sky, sending her soft rays of warmth down on the trio. Sakura had eventually chosen to sit down as well, her legs aching from the stress of standing too long. Sasuke, somehow, had remained on his feet, keeping his back to the other two and not looking bothered at all. Naruto had woken up just under an hour ago and now lay in the grass not too far from them; hands under his head and watching the clouds go by in a way that was rather reminiscent of a certain lazy nin they knew.

"Morning everyone. Ready for your first day." Immediately Sakura was on her feet, she and Sasuke both turned towards the man, and a finger pointing accusingly at him.

"You're late!" She screeched. Naruto sat up from his lying position but didn't bother to get to his feet. He smiled in an amused sort of way at their sensei.

"What took ya so long sensei?" He asked, and once again Kakashi felt as though he was being mocked somehow. He ignored the feeling and gave them his patented eye-smile.

"Well a black cat crossed my path so I had to take the long way." Sakura practically growled at the man.

"Ah, but sensei, didn't you know that black cats are actually good luck?"

He looked blankly at Naruto. "Oh?"

The blind nodded. "Yup. They pretend to be bad luck so people won't get their good luck ya know?"

"I see… So then… Let's get started." He walked over to one of three nearby posts, the middle one, and placed a black clock-like device on it, hitting the button atop it with the palm of his hand. "Here we go. It's set for noon." They looked curiously at the little clock and at their teacher.

He lifted up a hand. Two little silver bells attached to red string hung from his fingers. "Your assignment is very simple. You just have to take these bells from me. That's all there is to it." They were rather unassuming little things. He bounced his hand up once and they clanked together; offering up a tinkling jingle. "If you can't get them by noon you go without lunch. You'll be tied to those posts and you'll watch while I eat my lunch in front of you." He pointed to said posts.

_So that's why…_ Sasuke groaned.

Sakura looked miserable. _He told us not to eat breakfast to make it harder on us…_ She paused. "Wait a minute! There's three of us, how come there's only two bells?"

Kakashi eye-smiled. "Well that way, at least one of you will end up tied to a post, and ultimately disqualified for failing to complete the mission. That one goes back to the academy." He noted the fierce looks on their faces… But Naruto… Naruto looked serious, yes, but not worried about the possibility of being held back. Behind his mask, Kakashi frowned. _Is it confidence?_ But no. It wasn't confidence, or arrogance. It was just as though he didn't care. Many students would be upset at the possibility of returning to the academy, but he didn't seem to mind it one way or the other. _How very strange…_

"Then again," He continued, "All three of you could flunk out too. You can use any weapons, including shuriken. If you're not prepared to kill me, you won't be able to take the bells."

"Those weapons are too dangerous sensei!" Sakura yelled, distressed at the thought of using deadly force against their teacher. Naruto smiled again, seeming to hold back laughter, and Kakashi wondered at that.

He shook his head with a sigh, but didn't bother to say anything to the girl.

"Very well. You may begin when I say start." He paused and waited for a few moments, watching them tense and put their guards up. _Their guards should never be down though_. "Start!" He called sharply, and his students leapt away.

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

Kakashi waited a few minutes before casting his senses out, using his chakra to get a feel for where his students might be. He felt the fiery, spark-like feeling of Sasuke's chakra in a tree nearby. The touch of soft, water-like chakra from Sakura was hidden not too far from him, low to the ground beneath some foliage. He frowned. Sasuke's hiding place was good, but Sakura was at a disadvantage. Lying across the ground as she was, she wouldn't be able to move quickly enough to get away if he went after her.

His eyebrows rose when he attempted to find Naruto. He had heard from the Hokage that the blond was good at hiding but-

"_**Naruto's treatment by the villagers as a child has left its mark on him. Most of it not in a good way. But there are some benefits." The wizened man looked old and weary; tired and regretful. "He spent so much time hiding and running from them that he has gained the unconscious ability to draw his chakra into himself when he hides. He can make it feel as though his chakra is so low he would be mistaken for an animal… It is a feat that under other circumstances he would probably have never been capable of, due to the Kyuubi…"**_

He couldn't feel Naruto though. At all. He sharpened his senses. There were birds. A family of rabbits had made a den in the ground a little ways from Sasuke's hiding place… There was a cat, maybe a stray, that had wandered into the area and was asleep in a tree to his left…

But no Naruto.

His eyebrows drew together in concern. This was far beyond what the Sandaime had told him of. He decided to look around himself. Normally he might just wait here with his book for one of them to attack, but the lack of Naruto's chakra concerned him. He would look around physically to find the boy and ensure that nothing was amiss.

He moved at a decent pace, to the edge of the clearing and then up into the trees. He could move must faster but chose to hold back as he felt Sakura and Sasuke's chakra moving to follow him. He didn't want to move so quickly that they couldn't keep up after all.

His eye scanned everything as he moved, not going too far from the clearing and moving in a loop around it. He had gone about halfway around when he caught sight of a flash of orange high up in one of the trees. _Got you!_

He pulled a kunai, knowing that if Naruto was good enough to be able to mask his chakra so completely, he would at least be able to block a blade. Especially if Kakashi held back and didn't throw it as hard as he normally would. It would move slower than usual, and Naruto should be able to hear the whistling sound of it coming. He took aim and jerked him wrist, sending the kunai strait at his target.

He paused on a branch and watched it move. Only to jerk in shock when it truck true. _What?_ The boy hadn't moved or blocked it. It hit him! He rushed forwards, panic filling him for a moment… If he had killed one of his students…

He froze when he grew close enough to see.

It wasn't Naruto…

It was his sash. Wait. No. It was too short to be the sash. But it was the same color and material as the sash. It was tied around a branch, his kunai imbedded into it. He stood on the branch he was on, eyes flashing about and alert. But there were no signs of a jutsu's chakra. No gleam of wires. No white of explosive seals. No rope. There was nothing.

_But why leave the cloth if he wasn't going to set a trap?_

He frowned, and then tensed and jumped away, twisting as he did, when he felt the rush of wind heading down at him. He turned to see the sight of Naruto, tanto still held in a downwards swing towards where his head had been only moments before. Even as he watched, Naruto turned his body in midair to stab the large knife into the branch, one hand on the blade's handle while the other went to the pouch at his hip. He twisted, hand-standing on the tanto and his feet moving over his head, pushing himself off to twist and land on his feet on another branch between the tanto and Kakashi. Then his hand jerked and shuriken were headed towards Kakashi.

The boy didn't wait, he was moving even as the blades were, jumping back and jerking the tanto harshly out of the wood. Just as Kakashi pulled a kunai and blocked the shuriken, causing them to go off course Naruto jumped up and was bounding away through the trees. One of the shuriken imbedded in the trunk of the tree Kakashi stood upon, the other into the ground below.

He paused a moment to appreciate the power behind that throw. Even having its momentum lowered by his block the one in the tree had imbedded itself just past the edge of where the circle in its center was. He wondered if he would be able to even pull it out before he cast away the thought and was moving after Naruto.

But the Jinchuuriki was gone. He paused after a few more minutes of searching, barely aware of his other two students following after him as he stopped and landed to the ground. There had been some differences when Naruto had attacked him.

For one, the orange sash had been black. It had also seemed tighter around his middle than before when it had been somewhat loose. There had been a black bandana tied around his head as well; hiding his bright hair from sight.

But what worried Kakashi most was how, even though Naruto had been right in front of him, he had felt nothing. He could feel no chakra from the child.

How was that possible?

He shouldn't even be able to reduce his chakra to the point of being mistaken for an animal like what the Hokage described, let alone this. The Kyuubi was a being of pure chakra, and having it within him made Naruto's own reserves immense.

_How very strange…_

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

_Damn it… I almost had him._ Naruto pouted and then shifted uncomfortably in his new hiding place. He didn't like not being able to feel his chakra. A dark chuckle reverberated through his mind.

**He is a Jounin, kit. You can't expect the ningen to make it easy for you.**

_Yea, yea, I know. _He shifted uncomfortably again and glared at his innocent-looking leather band.

**Stop that. If you move too much you will give your position away.**

He sighed silently. _I just don't like it…_

**I know kit. Try to finish quickly so you can remove it.**

_Okay._

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

Kakashi walked lazily into the clearing, book in hand. He had to hand to Naruto, the kid wasn't bad. From what he could feel of Sasuke's chakra, he was probably strong too; though he wouldn't know where his skills laid until he fought the boy. He decided he would wait here as he had originally planned. He would learn the secrets to Naruto's stealth later. Right now, he would wait. Eventually one of them would get impatient and attack him.

He guessed it would be the Uchiha. He could feel the prodigy's impatience in his chakra. He had been riled up since Naruto had confronted Kakashi; the Jounin suspected he was eager to prove himself after seeing what his teammate could do. He relaxed a bit. Not that any of them were good enough to defeat a Jounin.

He heard and felt more than saw the shuriken flying towards him and prepared a substitution jutsu.

This would be entertaining at least.

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

After dealing with Sakura, and a bit disappointed in how easily she succumbed to such a simple genjutsu, Kakashi went looking for the Uchiha. Naruto hadn't made another appearance yet and he wondered at that. _Is he just hiding?_ Or was he watching it all from high in one of the trees. But as he couldn't sense the boy's chakra, he wouldn't be able to find him unless he pulled out his nindogs to track him. He wanted to keep that a secret for now.

He found Sasuke in a smaller clearing and sighed internally at the fact that the boy was just out in the open. Had he wanted Kakashi to find him? Still, he was somewhat impressed when the boy spoke, proud that the child had actually sensed him there.

"I'm not like them." He intoned almost arrogantly. Even after Naruto's display he seemed to only view him as the academy deadlast. That was another thing Kakashi wondered at. The boy was too skilled to be the weakest in the class, and too slippery to be the stupidest. Yet his grades were still only high enough to just barely pass, and he had failed the graduation test twice…

"Say that after you get one of these bells, _my Sasuke_." He mocked, leaning away from the tree and chuckling a bit as he took a few steps closer. They stood there a moment, in a face-off of sorts. He knew the child was measuring his worth (and was secretly doing the same in return), and that he would underestimate him.

Finally the child acted, widening his stance and throwing a small barrage of shuriken and kunai at him. He leapt to the side in a dodge, rather than block them. "There's no point using normal attacks." He told him, and was surprised when the kid threw a kunai above his head. It snapped through a rope and his eye widened somewhat. _A trap._ He thought, still sliding across the earth from his dodge, trying to stop his movement. He ended up at the base of a tree and was forced to leap away without hesitation as several kunai imbedded themselves in its trunk.

He was sliding back this time, and felt the Uchiha at his back as he began to stop. He twisted around in time to bring his arms up and block an impressive kick. He grabbed the ankle, but rather than faltering and trying to get free the boy twisted his abdomen and threw a punch, which Kakashi caught with his other hand.

The kid rotated himself upside down and his other leg came at the Jounin's head. He raised his arms, forced to let go of the boy's ankle lest he break it in the process (he was supposed to be testing them, not causing them major bodily harm), and blocked the blow. But Sasuke was now upside down before him and reached his free hand towards the bells, just managing to brush his fingers over one of them as Kakashi jerked back.

He threw himself away from the boy. He was impressed. It was the first time anyone he had tested had actually managed to touch the bells. He watched the kid land away from him, breathing a little harder.

_He's fierce._ He pouted. _I won't be able to read Icha Icha now…_

"Well. You are different from the other two, I'll grant you that."

His eyes widened as Sasuke began to zoom through hand seals, his hands blurring together in his speed. He watched in surprise as the kid landed on tiger and took a deep breath. _What? Genin can't do fire jutsu! It takes too much chakra! There's no way!_

**Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!**

But he was proven wrong as a giant ball of fire was suddenly headed straight for him. He couldn't block it without hurting Sasuke, and it was too close range to dodge. He turned to the ground. Head-hunter jutsu it was then.

Sasuke gasped as the fireball faded away to reveal nothing there. He looked around him tensely. _Where did he go? Behind me? Above?_ He turned to both sides, but no matter which direction he looked, the man was nowhere to be seen.

"Where?" Sasuke jerked in surprise as a hand came up from the very ground to wrap around his ankle. "I'm where you least expect me." Sasuke cried out as he was pulled forcefully into the ground until nothing was above the ground but his head. Kakashi crouched before him, eye-smiling and the bells cave an almost taunting jingle. "Right under your feet. **Earth Style: Head Hunter Jutsu**." Kakashi sighed. "Can't move can you? You have talent, and you were right, you are… different from the others. But, different isn't always better. They say the nail that sticks up is the one that gets hammered down." His words were slightly bitter as he stood up. Sasuke reminded him too much like himself for it to be comfortable.

He heard a very soft 'thump' just then, before the familiar whistle of a blade through air sounded. He moved too late, having been caught off guard, and just barely managed to dodge; feeling the side of his Jounin vest be torn. He had gotten caught up in memories for just a moment and had forgotten about Naruto. He skidded away, and managed to bring a kunai up just in time to block the next attack. The meeting of the tanto blade and the kunai bringing a ringing 'clang' through the air. Naruto jumped back and fell into a low crouch. He wielded the tanto one-handedly; the other hand low enough to brush against the ground.

The boy didn't move, and blue eyes regarded him coldly, entire body tensed like a spring. He was surprised. There was not the confidence in those eyes that he had seen in Sasuke's. This one knew he was out of his league. He smiled behind the mask, feeling just a touch of pride. It was never good to be outmatched, but one should always be aware of when they are.

He frowned though at the pinched expression on Naruto's face. The boy looked very uncomfortable, and he hadn't a clue as to why. He still couldn't feel the child's chakra, and wondered for a moment if that was perhaps the cause… _Does whatever he does to mask his chakra cause him discomfort?_

He pushed back his thoughts as the boy began to move towards him. He was moving slowly, as though just waiting for the moment to strike, and stayed in his crouch even as he came ever closer. He kept his eyes locked on Kakashi's.

He stopped after he had come just few feet closer and suddenly stood. Kakashi tensed, wondering what he was up to. The boy smiled and lifted a hand. Kakashi stared in disbelief as a jingle sounded through the air.

How?

He scrunched his brow in thought, then realization washed over him and he looked to his torn jacket. That attack had cut the string. But the bells must have fallen to the ground. The boy had kept his eyes on Kakashi and gone in a crouched stance so that he could the bells up without alerting the man that they had fallen in the first place.

He stood and put away his kunai. He saw Sakura enter the clearing, only to faint at the sight of Sasuke's head. "Not bad." He offered Naruto. The boy smiled again before his face pinched in discomfort again. He gave a concerned look and watched with interest as the boy lifted a thumb and bit it. A dribble of blood flowed free and he ran it over the grove on that band of his.

Kakashi and Naruto both gasped as the man felt the sudden rush of chakra from the boy. The child's legs faltered for a moment and he barely caught himself before falling; his face swathed in relief. _So it was the bracelet…_ He frowned then. If it affected Naruto like this after only an hour, how badly would it affect him if used even longer?

He came forward, worried about the boy now, and the effects that band seemed to have on him. He barely noticed that Sakura was up again and digging Sasuke out of the dirt. "Naruto? Are you alright?" He blond nodded. "Just fine sensei." He paused. It didn't feel mocking that time.

What had changed?

The sound of the alarm going off and marking it as noon distracted Kakashi for a moment, but his attention was brought back to Naruto as the boy approached his teammates. He sighed to himself. It was a shame. Naruto may have managed to get the bells, and Sasuke was rather skilled, but he would still have to fail them. Even if they got the bells, they still didn't understand the meaning of the test.

"Here." _Hmm?_

He stared in shock.

There stood Naruto, a smile on his face, bells in hand…

And he was offering them to his teammates.

_But why?_ The child didn't know the truth of the test. He had worked on his own like the other two had. As far as he knew, getting the bells ensured his success, and not having them would lead him back to the academy.

He was willingly giving away what he would believe to be his chance at becoming a Shinobi.

And it wasn't as though the other two were friends. Sasuke didn't like anyone, and Sakura had stated outright that she hated the blond boy.

Just what the hell was going on here?

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

Ok. A few explanations.

No, Naruto is not super-powered or extra strong. He's a little smarter in this fic, and has a few more tricks up his sleeve but he's still just a Genin. Maybe a high-level Genin, but a Genin nonetheless.

The ONLY reason he managed to get the bells form Kakashi was because the man was distracted and forgot about him, and because Naruto has some epic stealth abilities. But if Kakashi had not dropped his guard, it wouldn't have happened. Period.

I know there's a lot in this chapter that came straight out of canon, but I promise that as we go, there will be more and more changes until I have turned the plot into something completely unrecognizable. MUAHAHAHAHA!

Ahem.

I'd like to explain why Naruto is willing to give up the bells and his chance of being a Konoha nin.

Naruto lives within the Kumori district. He is a duel citizen of both Konoha, and Kumori, and as such, can become a ninja in either. Even if he is not able to be a Konoha nin, he will be a Kumori nin. And if he does become a Konoha nin, then he will still be a ninja for Kumori, albeit on a part-time basis. Basically, whether he passes or fails, he will still be a ninja.

And no, Kakashi does not know about Naruto living in Kumori. He had no idea whatsoever. As far as he is aware, Naruto lives in an apartment or something somewhere in Konoha.

The only ones aware of where Naruto lives are the Hokage, the council, and fellow Kumori citizens.

The flashback in the next chapter will explain what happened that day with Hana and Kumori's Kage, and how Naruto became a duel citizen in the first place.

Any questions lovies? Review. And keep in mind that if you log in to review I will actually answer you directly. Promise.


	3. Chapter 3

I'm rather enjoying these OCs of mine… I promise they won't show up _too_ often. And I'm only making OCs that have a purpose. Besides the two I've already mentioned, and the one that's been made in this chapter, there should only be one more.

After all, Kumori needed a leader. Naruto needed a mother figure. He needed a father figure/ someone to provide a home. And the fourth… Well, Naruto needs a teacher right?

Things are pretty mild right now, which is why this fic is currently rated T. It will get worse later on, I think, and if it does I will up the rating. I may change the genres in the future as well. What they are now reflects the story at its current state.

To Muahahahahah, No I do not recall the name of the fic that inspired this, and though I have hunted through the Naruto fandom I have not been able to find it again. I know that very little was written, and it was abandoned, and I believe there is the possibility that the author may have deleted it.

Someone asked about pairings, and though I answered them, I will say it again for all of you. At this time, there are no pairings planned. If, in the future, I choose to have pairings, they won't happen till we hit Shipuuden. At that time, I will make a list of both female and male characters for Naruto, and your own votes will decide who he is paired with.

Assuming that neither of them end up with him, or I don't add them to that list, I will make separate lists for Sasuke and Sakura after Naruto's pairing has been decided.

That said, this fic will not focus on romance, and I ask that until I make that list, that you not bug me about pairings.

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

_**Hana stood before her Kage in silence. The man was waiting, and she knew this, but she was still getting her thoughts together. She sighed and met his dark eyes.**_

"_**This is the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki." He intoned, looking at the boy in her arms. "Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze." She swallowed. Of course the man knew who the boy was. He seemed to know everything, and when he didn't, he was too good at hiding any surprise for her to truly believe he wasn't knowledgeable.**_

_**She nodded once, and stood straight. "He was attacked by the villagers of Konoha." She told the man, witnessing a small flash of anger in his eyes though he remained otherwise stone-faced. "He ended up wandering down here and into my sector. By his words I determined that an attack on his person is not an uncommon occurrence." The man's hands tightened into fists where they were crossed over his chest but he said nothing. She continued.**_

"_**He's been told he's a monster enough times to have come to believe it, and was told that Kumori was a place for monsters. He came down here in the hopes of finding a home. Personally I think it would be unethical to allow this to continue. That said, I understand that such things are out of my hands, and so I've brought the boy to you. May I say however, that regardless of where he currently resides, his mother was of Kumori, and as his father is… Unknown, there is technically nothing tying him to Konoha."**_

_**Here the ageless man smiled. It was a sneaky bit of work on her part, and not a very subtle attempt at manipulation. They knew very well who fathered the child. But no one would be able to use it as an argument to keep him in Konoha without revealing old truths that were better left buried right now. Because no one could publically reveal the boy's heritage, they couldn't even argue that the child belonged in Konoha because his father was a Konohagakure citizen. By public knowledge, Naruto should belong in Kumori.**_

_**He imagined they would still fight against it, if only because of his status as a Jinchuuriki, but the old laws stated that a child of one side belonged there unless they chose otherwise; and they were not deemed eligible to choose otherwise until they became a legal adult. Whether that meant they were a civilian and turned sixteen, or they were a Shinobi and attained their title as such. The cards would be on their side in this. Besides that, the Kage of Kumori, no matter how rough a man he may be, was known for having a soft spot for children.**_

"_**I suppose then," He began, "That I ought to set up a meeting with the Hokage. Why it is a child of a Kumori citizen has been allowed to live in Konoha this long I do not understand. I feel such an oversight needs to be rectified." **_

_**Hana couldn't hold back a blinding smile at that. But the joyous expression faded after a moment. Scheduling a meeting with the Hokage may take a couple days, and if they managed to keep the child in Kumori after that…**_

_**Well, there was the issue of where he would live.**_

"_**What am I to do with him? The brothels are not fit to bring a child, and I will not allow him to be subjected to the gangs." She gave him a hard look at this, as though daring the man to argue against him.**_

"_**Take him to Kyoshi."**_

_**She started. "The priest?" He nodded. "Why him?"**_

_**He looked her in the eye. "He will be willing to care for the boy, and has the room for him." She nodded reluctantly in assent. She did not care much for the naïve priest, but she would not deny that he would be a good option for the little demon vessel.**_

_**With a shallow nod, she left.**_

**Iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

_**Hiruzen sighed for what may have been the tenth time that day. He was worried. Naruto's apartment had been burned to the ground, and while his ninja had determined the child was not inside at the time, he had not been found yet. He had not even shown up for class today.**_

_**His shinobi were searching the village extensively, but had yet to find the little blond. He wished he could go out to search himself, but as Hokage he had too many duties to fulfill, and a missing child, no matter who that child may be, could not be placed above those duties. The council had forbidden his express involvement.**_

_**They had too much power these days. Power he had allowed for them to have. Truth be told, as Hokage, he was the sole leader of Konohagakure. The council was meant only as advisors to himself, but he was old. In his age he could not handle things as well as he once had, and so left a number of duties for them to fulfill. There were no laws which gave them their power; rather it was his own complacency. Realistically speaking, he could easily stand against them and take back his full role, perhaps even disband them entirely, but it was far more trouble than it was worth.**_

_**A plain white scroll with a single, purple line marking the seal caught his eye. It had been brought to him this morning along with his many other bits of paperwork. He recognized the style of it all too well. But he had avoided looking at it just yet. Choosing instead to sign meaningless paperwork while he fretted over Naruto's absence.**_

_**But he knew he could not put it off for much longer, as so, with an aged sigh, he reached for it.**_

_**It was not often he received a message from Kumori after all.**_

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

_**Hana sighed as she lay the little blond down on the tatami mat. They were all that was here right now. There were no mattresses, as the priest seemed to live a life of simplicity; believing that one should only have what one absolutely needs.**_

_**It was not the most comfortable way of life; certainly not. But the man seemed happy, so who was she to judge? She would still make sure to purchase a proper bed for the child regardless; and more toys to be sure. Kyoshi might be a minimalist, but that didn't mean Naruto had to be.**_

_**Kyoshi Miyamoto was a Shinto priest. He was very young for his chosen career, and a bit naïve. He always saw the best in people, and was either blind to the darker side of the world, or chose not to see it. He was tall, and lean, with long, pale limbs and the fingers of a pianist. Long, strait black hair was held loosely from his face with a white sash; and soft amber eyes stared out from an angular face. He was slightly feminine, and very soft-spoken.**_

_**He wore a white Hakama and matching Uwangi. He chose to go barefoot, rather than wear sandals, and his feet didn't suffer only because he rarely left the shrine to Amaterasu, where he both worked and lived. It was not exactly a traditional style of dress for a Kannushi, but he was simply so kind that no one ever said a word about it.**_

_**Hana didn't like him very much. There was nothing wrong with him really. It was more her own jealousy that a man could find himself in adulthood and still retain the innocence of a child. She envied his ability to remain pure.**_

_**The shrine was a simple place. A large, well cared-for building with red gates lining the entrance. There was a smaller building located behind it that acted as the man's home, and now she supposed, it would act as Naruto's home as well. There was no garden, as here beneath the Earth there was no sunlight, and so no way to grow crops. They has several special buildings in Kumori that were lined in powerful seals to allow plants to grow within them.**_

_**But beyond these buildings, Kumori was filled with countless, constantly lit lanterns that kept up the visibility. Even with these, Kumori looked as though it was in a constant state of night. One had to look at a clock in order to tell if it was daylight above ground or not.**_

_**There were still 'dark' areas of the city though. Places not lit by lanterns, that most often held criminals. Many of Kumori's citizens were criminals. Most of them though were still good people, people who had come here seeking a second chance. Others were refugees. People with nowhere else to go.**_

_**But those who lived in the dark areas…**_

_**They were still criminals. Even in Kumori.**_

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

_**There was a special building within Konoha; or rather, just outside of her walls. It was found within the center of the Forest of Death, and it served two purposes. The first, was for Chunin exams that were held within Konohagakure. **_

_**The second, was as a meeting place for the Kage of Kumori, and the Hokage of Konoha. There were a few places in the old and dangerous forest that were entrances to Kumori, and training ground 44 was actually considered the dual property of Konoha and Kumori. As such, it was seen as neutral ground, and thus an excellent place for the two Kages and their guard to meet and speak peacefully.**_

_**The room for these meetings was in the first level basement of the building. There were three basements, and the third level had a tunnel that connected into Kumori, though only Kumori nin were permitted to use it. It was an old room, the grey walls cracking in places and the stone worn down until it was smooth. The tower in this Forest was one of the older buildings in Konoha, and though the higher levels had been rebuilt and renovated as necessary through the years, the foundations and basement levels were the originals; the only change to them being the addition of the tunnel entrance on level three.**_

_**While the room was old, the table within it where the Hokage now sat was not. It was new, polished wood, and round in shape. He sat at one end of the table, two Anbu guards in their seats on either side of him, and two more standing near the wall behind him. The Kage of Kumori was not yet here, and so he waited.**_

_**There were two doors in this room, and he looked up in interest as the knobs on the one he knew led to the lower stairs began to turn. The Kage of Kumori, at least twenty years younger than himself if not more so, entered; standing tall and firm.**_

_**He was flanked on either side by Kuroi Yabun, with their uniforms that showed no skin and dark masks. They were of equal height and left nothing on their outward appearance in the way of identifying markers; their masks themselves specially made to cause fluxes in their chakra so that not only would it be impossible to recognize them by chakra signature, but also so that the Hyuuga clan could not see through them. Their identities would always be protected fully. Not that they really needed that considering where they lived.**_

_**No one messed with shinobi of the dark districts after all.**_

_**He also noted with surprise that there was a woman walking just a bit behind them. He frowned at the sight of her. Her sparse dress and make up made suggestions in the way of her career. She was exceptionally beautiful.**_

_**But for what purpose had the Kage brought such a woman here? **_

"_**Hiruzen." The man greeted; his deep voice echoing slightly in the large room.**_

"_**Daichi." He replied in kind.**_

_**The man nodded and pulled out a chair for the woman, who gave him a smile and a respectful nod, and then sat himself. The Kuroi Yabun each stood directly behind one of the two of them rather than sitting themselves or moving to stand near the walls.**_

"_**May I ask the nature of this meeting?" He had learned some time ago that Daichi Hayashi had no love for small talk. If he didn't wish to irritate him then it was best to get straight to the point.**_

_**The man pulled out a piece of paper. Hiruzen could not see the writing from here, but he noted the official Kumori seal upon the page. A simple black circle representing a cloud with a white stripe straight through its center. The Kage passed him the page before speaking. "We are claiming one Naruto Uzumaki as a citizen of Kumori."**_

_**He froze as he grasped the page. He looked up at Daichi, but the man's face was hard and serious. He looked to the paper then, reading through the form. It was a citizenship form.**_

_**For Kushina Uzumaki.**_

_**He frowned. There were old laws between Konoha and Kumori. One of which loosely stated that a child born, would automatically be a citizen of whichever city their parents were a citizen of, regardless of birthplace. If they had a parent from both villages, then they would be a citizen of whichever place they were born in.**_

_**Naruto was born in Konoha, so he was meant to be a citizen of Konoha. But as he could not claim who the father was…. And that place was actually blank on the child's birth scroll…**_

_**He sent the Kage a steely look. He could do very little. He knew this. But… "You know very well that the council will not stand for this."**_

_**He received a predatory grin in response to his words. "We are willing to compromise."**_

_**He looked from the Kage to the paper before him and sighed. He was getting too damn old for this shit…**_

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

Kakashi stood before the three of them. Sasuke and Sakura sat upon the ground, looking exhausted and somehow dejected; despite the bells they each held in their hands. Naruto was stuck on his feet and tied to the stump, his head down rather than looking up at Kakashi. He didn't really understand. The kid had done something amazing by being willing to make a sacrifice for his teammates and yet… He seemed almost ashamed…

Growls filled the air and he almost laughed. "Uh oh. Stomachs growling huh? That's too bad. Oh, by the way, about this exercise, well, I've decided. I won't send any of you back to the academy." Naruto looked up with a smile. _Ah… So he does care._

"But… We didn't really get the bells…" Sakura mumbled. Sasuke nodded in agreement with her. Then she smiled and jumped to her feet excitedly. "That means! All three of us-"

"Yes, all three of you… Are being dropped from the program. Permanently" Inside, Kakashi cackled in evil glee at the way their faces immediately dropped.

"But-!" Sakura looked caught between angry and heartbroken. "Drop us from the program… That means we can never become ninja! Why would you do that?" He nearly faltered at Naruto's expression. The child was staring at him like he'd been betrayed. Kakashi supposed he had, for if he really dropped from the program then his sacrifice earlier would have been pointless.

"Because you don't think like ninja, you think like little kids. Like brats." He saw Sasuke glare only a moment before the boy rushed him. It was child's play to pin him down and sit on his back. Kakashi actually felt irritated now. "You think it's all about you."

"LET GO OF SASUKE! YOU CAN'T STEP ON HIM LIKE HE'S SOME BUG!" He flicked an irritated glance at the girl, eyes drifting to Naruto again, but his head was once again hung in shame.

He looked seriously at the girl. "You don't know what it means to be a ninja. You think it's a game huh? Why do you think we put you on squads? Did you ever consider that question?"

She seemed confused. "I don't know what you mean."

"I mean, you never realized what this exercise is all about. The only one who came close was Naruto." Said blond looked up at the sound of his name, seemingly confused.

"What it's about?" Sakura's brow scrunched up in thought.

"Yes. That's what determines whether you pass or fail." He paused to clear his temper. "Use your head. Three people on a squad. Why do you think we would do that?"

She thought for a moment but it was Naruto who answered after a moment of thought. "Teamwork." He practically whispered the word.

"Exactly. It's too late now, but if all three of you had come at me, you might have been able to take the bells form the start. Well, anyway, it's over."

Sakura blinked. _Wait a minute…_ "You set it up with three people but only two bells! Even if we had worked together only two of us would have gotten the bells! You pit us against each other from the beginning!"

"Precisely. I did it on purpose. I wanted to see if you could overcome that and put the squad ahead of yourselves. Sakura!" He barked. "You were obsessed with helping Sasuke and never even considered helping Naruto." She looked ashamed of herself, casting a guilty glance at the blond. "Naruto. You do everything on your own. Everything. You only did better because you gave up the bells in the end, but you never even thought to work with your teammates from the beginning." Kakashi watched him clench his fists and look down again. "And you, Sasuke. You thought the others were so far beneath you they were worthless." Said boy practically growled at him.

"Arrogance." He continued. "Ninja missions are carried out in squads. Of course you need individual skills, but teamwork is the most important part. Every Shinobi understands this. When individuals put themselves above the squad, this can lead to failure. And death! For example-" He pulled a kunai from his pouch and held it to the Uchiha's throat. "Sakura! Kill Naruto now or Sasuke dies!"

She looked at him with a panicked expression and Naruto's head snapped up. But there was no fear in his eyes. He sighed and pulled the blade away.

"That's what happens on a mission. The enemy takes a hostage and you've got an impossible choice. And someone ends up dead." He put the kunai away and got off Sasuke's back, walking away from them. "Every mission your life is on the line."

He came to stand before the small monument. "Did you look at this stone? The names engraved on it?" His voice was more sad than angry now. "They are all ninja who are honored as heroes in our village." He glanced back at the children, who were looking at the old stone with wonder. "They are a special kind of hero." He told them, turning back to look at it; his eyes immediately searching out the names he knew. He paused, swallowing. "They are all ninja, who have been killed in the line of duty." He felt more then saw their surprise and then sadness. "This is a memorial stone. The names of my closest friend are engraved here." A sense of melancholy seemed to settle over them all. Even the Uchiha…

Obito's eye itched in its socket and he turned around. "Alright. I'm going to give you one more chance. But I'm going to make it much harder on you. You'll have three hours to get a bell." He eyed Sasuke and Sakura. "Eat lunch now to build up strength. But," He sent a silent apology to the blond. "Naruto doesn't get any." The boy in question's stomach growled but he nodded in grave acceptance. "And if anyone tries to feed him, that person will immediately fail." He narrowed his eyes at them. "I make the rules. You follow them. Got it?"

They nodded in acceptance, and he left them.

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

It was nearly three hours later that Kakashi wandered in late to the Jounin meeting in the Hokage's grand old office. He felt rather pleased with the children. They had broken the rules for the sake of teamwork, and thus succeeded in being the first team for him to ever pass. He was proud of them for it, and if he was honest with himself, he was actually looking forward to teaching them.

Many other Jounin were there and they glared at him as he entered, having been forced to stand there and wait for him. He eye-smiled at them all as though he were completely oblivious to their ire. This of course only seemed to irritate them further. He stopped near his old, comrade? Acquaintance? Asuma. He wouldn't dare call the man a friend.

Asuma was one of the Hokage's sons. He was taller than Kakashi, thicker built. Where the silver-haired man was built for speed, Asuma was built more for strength. He had dark, spiky hair that was common among the younger men of the Sarutobi clan. It came down from sideburns into a short, well-kept beard; though he had no moustache. Dark brown, almost black, eyes found themselves above a broad, rounded nose and a wide mouth. His skin was covered in a dark tan, a somewhat unusual occurrence among ninja who lived a good portion of their lives sneaking through the darkness.

His outfit was not so different from Kakashi's own clothing, the most obvious differences being the lack of plated gloves and the angular piece of cloth tied around the man's waist; proudly wearing the kanji for fire. Then there was, of course, the cigarette that hung from his mouth. Kakashi couldn't really recall a time he had ever seen the man not smoking.

Asuma stood next to Kurenai Yuhi; a fairly new addition to the Jounin ranks. This round of students would be the first she had tested. She was a beautiful woman. Her body made by decent curves and muscles. Thick, wavy black hair fell from her head in waves; an unusual sight among Kunoichi her age (who tended to prefer short cuts or keeping their hair up as it was mostly the young and inexperienced who bothered to have their hair long). Her eyes were strange; a deep shade of red, with purplish rings running through them, and framed by long lashes.

She didn't wear the traditional Jounin garb. Rather a red top with a single long sleeve was covered by a mesh tank and then white wraps. The wraps were thick and with a single black line running through their middle; little triangle branching off of it like thorns on a vine. It stopped high on her thighs, and she kept her decency through bandages wrapped all around her upper thighs, though her hands and lower arms were wrapped as well.

He cast them both a friendly glance and while Asuma shook his head bemusedly at Kakashi's lateness, Kurenai gave him a sharp, irritated glance. He made a note to avoid her for a few days. If there was one thing he had learned in his life it was that nothing was scarier than a pissed-off woman.

The Hokage sighed, and Kakashi came to attention; as did the other Jounin within the room. Hiruzen Sarutobi, their most esteemed Hokage, was an aged man. Kakashi wasn't certain as to exactly how old he was, but he knew the man had taught the three great Sanin, and that they had to be at least fifty. He was tanned like Asuma, and the silver-haired man had to wonder if it was more a Sarutobi thing than an Asuma thing. He had a longer beard than his son; bleached white with age. His eyes were angular, his nose large, and his skin covered in wrinkles and the occasional age-spot.

Most of his form was hidden behind the traditional white and red Hokage robes and the odd triangular hat; with its fire symbol and pieces of cloth that fell down to the old man's shoulders. It was somewhat surprising that he bothered to wear it all, as many Kages in this age chose only to wear their traditional dress on important occasions. Despite his clothes, and his age, Kakashi had no doubt that the man was powerful. He often put out a kind, grandfatherly demeanor, but there were still moments where he reminded his subordinates exactly why he was called 'the professor'.

"Now that everyone is here," The Hokage cast a reprimanding glance at Kakashi, who chose that moment to pull out his book and seemingly ignore the world. "Let's go over which teams have passed." He began to call out team numbers and Kakashi tuned him out, waiting until his own team's number would be called.

"Team 7?" There was no sound in the man's voice and Kakashi heard someone in the back mutter about why they bothered to ask, and that they should just put down whatever teams Kakashi tested as having failed.

To spite them, he didn't even look up from his book when he replied. "Pass."

The Hokage sputtered. There were similar shocked reactions around the room and Kakashi was rather pleased that he could smirk and no one would see. "P-Pass?" He looked up from his book at the Hokage and had to hold back a snicker. The old man looked almost as though he would have a heart-attack. He could hear his colleagues muttering to each other in surprise but didn't look up from his book until one of them spoke a bit louder.

"Of course he passed them! The Uchiha's on that team!" There were murmurs of agreement and Kakashi felt a twinge of irritation.

"Actually," He started, not bothering to take his eyes off his precious Icha Icha, "Uchiha had nothing to do with it. They nearly failed. It was Uzumaki who made me choose to give them a second chance."

A few of them sputtered in something close to, if not, outrage, and the same Jounin who spoke of Sasuke was the first to recover. "You mean that damned fox! That's preposterous!"

He did look up this time, catching the man with a steely gaze. "The Uchiha was arrogant. He felt himself better than the others and completely disregarded his teammates. Uzumaki worked alone as well, but he was the one to retrieve the bells from me." A few looked as though they would interrupt him but he continued on. "After he got them, he gave them away to his teammates." There was silence now; the shock of the Jounin a near palpable thing in the air. "It was his sacrifice that made me choose to give them a second chance, and the other two only succeeded in convincing me to pass them as team _after_ I lectured them on the importance of teamwork." He narrowed his eyes. "Do not assume that what he contains has any bearing on his nature as a person. You cannot blame a cage for the crimes of its prisoner."

He offered a respectful nod to Lord Hokage, who looked rather proud of him, and left. Kami knows what he would do to those idiots if they pissed him off any further.

**iamthealmightylinefearmypower**

There we go. Next chapter marks the beginning of the wave arc and will begin just as they set out, skipping over them meeting Tazuna.

I ask you now if you want for Haku and Zabuza, or just one of the two to survive, or if you want it to go a bit like canon. Keep in mind that if they live, either one or both may find their ways onto the eventual pairing list.

Also, would you rather Haku be a boy or a girl? I can work with either so…

Review lovies!


	4. Chapter 4

Ok so first off, I apologize.

Several days ago my computer broke down. I have lost a lot of my files, including the chapters of all the stories I was working on at the time. I plan to go back and keep writing, but right now we need a little break so that I may do so. I may not be able to ubdate anything for a couple of weeks, as there are many things aside from the stories that I have to worry about, but I promise I will update everything as soon as I am able.

Thank you.


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